,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bhch ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #ba1 #bjaf ,mr4 ,vitter introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship ,a ,,bill ,to improve the ,h,u,b,zone program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,small ,business ,transforming ,america's ,regions ,act of #bjaf4 #b4 ,modification to the ,h,u,b,zone program 7a7 ,in general ,section #c7p7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb7p77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,e71 by striking or at the end2 7,b7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,f7 as subparagraph 7,g72 and 7,c7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,e7 the following3 7,f7 another qualified area designated by the ,administrator under section #ca7;d72 or 2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#d77;,c71 by striking until the later of and all that follows and inserting for the #g-year period following the date on which the census tract or nonmetropolitan county ceased to be so qualified44 7b7 ,applicability ,the amendment made by subsection 7a77#b7 shall apply to any census tract that becomes a redesignated area under section #c7p77#d77;,c7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb7p77#d77;,c77 on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7c7 ,other qualified areas ,section #ca of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #feg;a7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7d7 as subsection 7e72 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following3 7d7 ,other qualified areas 7#a7 ,definitions ,in this subsection-- 7,a7 the term governor means the chief executive of a ,state2 and 7,b7 the term ,state means each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 the ,virgin ,islands1 ,guam1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 and ,american ,samoa4 7#b7 ,designation ,a governor may petition the ,administrator to designate #a or more census tracts in the ,state of the governor as a ,h,u,b,zone if each tract-- 7,a7 has a median household income that is less than #gj percent of the median household income of the ,state in which the tract is located based on the most recent data available from the ,bureau of the ,census2 7,b7 has an unemployment rate that is not less than #abj percent of the average unemployment rate of the ,united ,states or of the ,state in which the tract is located1 whichever is less1 based on the most recent data available from the ,department of ,labor2 or 7,c7 meets other criteria determined by the ,administrator4 7#c7 ,petition ,with respect to a petition submitted by a governor to the ,administrator under paragraph 7#b7-- 7,a7 the governor may submit not more than #a petition in a fiscal year unless the ,administrator determines that an additional petition from the ,state of the governor is appropriate2 7,b7 the governor may not submit a petition for more than #cj percent of the total number of census tracts in the ,state of the governor2 and 7,c7 if the ,administrator grants the petition and designates #a or more census tracts as a ,h,u,b,zone1 the governor shall1 not less frequently than annually1 submit data to the ,administrator certifying that each census tract continues to meet the criteria establishing the eligibility of the tract under the ,h,u,b,zone program4 7#d7 ,process ,the ,administrator shall establish procedures to-- 7,a7 ensure that the ,administration accepts petitions under paragraph 7#b7 from all ,states each fiscal year2 and 7,b7 provide technical assistance1 before the filing of a petition under paragraph 7#b71 to a governor who is interested in filing such a petition4 4